Bud Mulcock (`71)

James B. “Bud” Mulcock, Jr., a New Mexico utility executive who became an educational lobbyist after retirement, died at his Albuquerque home in late June 2010, succumbing to pancreatic cancer. He was 71.

Mulcock, who was born in Roswell and grew up in Artesia, spent nearly 20 years with the Public Service Company of New Mexico, where he was vice president of corporate affairs when he retired. Former PNM President Jerry Geist called Mulcock, “The straightest of straight arrows,” and said he was respected for giving lawmakers or regulators factual to-the-point responses to their questions.

After earning his J.D. in 1971, Mulcock was an assistant attorney general. He also worked for U.S. Rep. E.S. Johnny Walker of New Mexico and served as board chairman of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.

Following his retirement from PNM, he lobbied in the New Mexico Legislature for the New Mexico Activities Association and the Coalition of School Administrators. He also served on two task forces on public school funding and was a member of a task force on capital outlay for public schools.

In 1992, Mulcock co-chaired a task force on governmental ethics, which helped push through an overhaul of the state’s ethics laws for public officials the next year. John Underwood, a former Ruidoso lawmaker who chaired the ethics task force with Mulcock, remembered him for his high ethical standards, warm heart and for making, “the best fudge you’ve ever eaten.”